An open-source intelligence (OSINT) service claims to be able to generate detailed profiles in social media users based solely on their commenting activity. It has been proved on a heavy comment-based platform such as YouTube.
The tool, part of the “YouTube Tools” suite by pseudonymous developer Lolarchiver, allows users to perform a series of AI-powered checks on any commenting user. The tool’s website was recently modified to display only the administrator’s email address, presumably in response to the growing media attention. According to a May 28 report by tech outlet 404 Media, the tool can generate reports in seconds that include inferred data such as the user’s geographic location and potential political or cultural leanings. For example, one user was identified as residing in Italy based on comments in Italian and references to an Italian TV show.
While the information generated by YouTube Tools is based on public data, the tool has significantly lowered the barriers to entry for digital profiling. Anyone can look up what a commenter has written and draw their own conclusions. If done manually, it would normally require tedious research and scrolling through a big amount of written content. With this platform, it’s just a click away. Legal experts warn that some of these tools may violate the platform’s terms of service or even local data protection laws, depending on where they are used.
The service also allows you to search leaked databases, and the legality of doing so depends on the location. While searching one’s own data is generally legal, searching third-party data without a legal basis may violate the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation or U.S. state privacy laws. If the data includes credentials, its use can lead to civil or criminal charges, depending on the jurisdiction. According to 404 Media, Lolarchiver’s administrator is located in Europe, and the EU has strict requirements for the processing of personal data. As privacy concerns grow, tools like YouTube Tools reflect a broader trend: the increasing ease with which digital fingerprints can be transformed into invasive profiling, often without the user’s knowledge or consent.
On a more worrying perspective, this could lead to a higher amount of online scams and identity thefts. It is heavily recommended to limit the amount of personal information that is expressed online.
source: cointelegraph.com
Prof. Miguel Antonio Barbero Álvarez, PhD.
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid